This UT Austin Freshman Made Her College Transition Easier by Colorfully Decorating Her Dorm

“Colors bring me joy,” says Audrey Todd, a freshman Advertising major at the University of Texas. And it shows. Her dorm room is filled with warm tones, soft textures, and cozy plushies. By working with her roommate to create a welcoming, peace-filled space, Audrey’s (@audtod on IG; @audtodd3 on TikTok) college transition became easier, too.

How’d you end up in this space? I knew from the start that I wanted to live somewhere that truly felt like home. After exploring different options, I found the perfect spot. What really drew me in was its charm. The building has such an elegant, vintage feel. With its soft colors, classic furniture, and welcoming atmosphere, it feels like I’m living in a Barbie dream house.

Now that you’ve made the space your own, what specifically do you love about it? How comfortable and safe I feel in it. It didn’t take long for my room to feel like mine. I’ve been able to add personal touches that make it feel warm, familiar, and inspiring. My roommate and I have very similar styles, which made it easy to decorate our room in a way that reflects both of our personalities. Whether I’m studying, relaxing, or just catching up with friends, I always feel at peace here. Finding this space made my transition into college so much smoother, and it’s become more than just a dorm — it’s truly my home away from home.

What’s your space best known for? The natural light I get into my room. I am on the east side of my building, so I get the beautiful morning light. It is so nice to wake up to in the morning. 

Define your personal home style: I love anything colorful and girly! Colors bring me joy, so when decorating my room I knew I needed to make it a colorful space. 

What’s your favorite element of your space? My favorite element of my room is the large window I have. During the fall and spring, when the weather was nice, I would open my window up to get a nice breeze in my room. 

What’s your proudest DIY or product hack? My pennant flags. I created pennant flags for my door that have both my roommate’s and my name, as well as pennant flags inside my room that say “Houston” and “TX,” which is a reminder of where I am from. The pennant flags were very easy to make. I used a pen to trace out the letters, scissors, felt glue, and felt, which can all be found at the craft store. 

In an effort to remove the stigma associated with talking about money in college, we’re asking students to share how they plan and budget for their space.

How much does your housing cost per semester? Around $8,000

Do you have anyone helping to fund your housing? Yes

Do you pay for your living expenses? No

How do you earn your income? Part-time job

How much did it cost to decorate your space? $500

Do you have anyone helping to fund your decor? Yes

What was your best budget find for this space? My fridge. I bought my fridge used off of a previous resident of my dorm, for $60.

What was your biggest splurge for this space? My headboard and desk chair were both from Amazon; they cost around $80 each.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? The size of my room. I share my room with another person, so making sure we fit everything and not make our space seem super cluttered was very important. Luckily my roommate and I have similar aesthetics, so we were able to collaborate to make our room as cute as possible. 

What’s your best tip for optimizing a small space? The best tip I could tell someone when moving into a dorm room and trying to maximize their space is to use all the space underneath your bed. I do not have a lofted bed, so I have about 16 inches of space underneath my bed that I use for storage. I was able to put out-of-season clothes underneath there, as well as shoes, school supplies, and anything I wanted out of sight. 

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

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